The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Blazers Meet With Media Regarding Upcoming Game With Mississippi State
10/4/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 4, 2004
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- UAB head football coach Watson Brown and several members of the football team met Monday with the local media to discuss the Blazers' upcoming game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. (CT) at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville Miss. The game will be broadcast locally on the Blazer Sports Network, WYDE 101.1 FM.
This Saturday marks the first meeting between the two teams and is Mississippi State's homecoming game. The Bulldogs are 44-18-3 all-time at homecoming and have won nine of their last 10 homecoming games.
The Blazers are coming off a 30-27 win over Cincinnati. With the win, UAB improved to 3-1 overall and 2-0 in Conference USA. Mississippi State is coming off a 31-13 loss to Vanderbilt. The Bulldogs are 1-4 overall and 0-3 against SEC opponents.
The Blazers are preparing for a tough game against Mississippi State, as the Bulldogs are an experienced team, returning 15 starters from the 2003 season.
"They're back home again and it's homecoming and they will be very excited about playing us," said Brown. "It's a huge game for us, too. Anytime you play an SEC team it's an image boost for you, if you can make something happen. It still gives us momentum as we get back into league play. You don't like playing a non-league game like this at this time of the year, but with who it is I don't think it bothers us at all. We're excited about playing."
UAB is hoping to start the game off well, as it has in the past two games.
"We are a good starting team," said Brown. "We've had third quarter problems where teams get back at us pretty good, but we have been a really good first half team this year. Hopefully we will do that again. I think it has been a plus for us that we have gotten off to a quick start."
The Blazers are seeking their third-straight victory and their second-straight road victory, something UAB has not accomplished since the 2001 season.
"Their place is a tough atmosphere to win in and they will be ready to play," said Brown. "It will be a very tough game for us. You watch them on tape and there are SEC players on that field. They are nice looking kids; it will get our kids' attention when they watch the tape on Tuesday."
PLAYER QUOTES
LINEBACKER Zac Woodfin
On playing a Southeastern Conference opponent on the road and how that is a positive experience for the UAB program
"Definitely. That is something that I have not done since I have been here. I have played a lot of SEC opponents since I have been here and yet we have to beat one of those opponents. I know this team will take it as a challenge to go into an SEC environment against a good team and try to get a win on the road."
On the possibility of being favored in Saturday's game
"Week to week we never look at that, but I think we were the underdog for the last two weeks and we have won those two games, so we do not look at who is favored or not. All we know is that Mississippi State is a great football team with a lot of talent. Even though they have not won a lot of football games this year they are very capable of doing so. We have to prepare and get ready to play a hard game on Saturday."
On Mississippi State having the potential to play a good game on Saturday
"We are expecting them to come out and play their best game against us, which is very possible for them to do on their homecoming. They will have a lot of emotions going for them and a lot of people will be at their stadium to support them. I am sure they will come out and play really well, so we will have to counter that with good play as well."
PLACEKICKER Nick Hayes
On getting back on track after missing some field goals early in the season
"It was bothering me because I knew what I was doing, which was pulling my head up and pulling the ball to the left. It took me a while to work through it and I just needed to slow down and stop kicking all the time. I just got frustrated and would try to kick 30 or 40 balls in a row and some of the guys would tell me to stop getting so frustrated and not kick as much. They told me that I could kick the ball straight, I just needed to keep my head down and kick through it, and that was basically it."
On whether or not Hayes puts more pressure on himself than other people do
"I do not know. I might sometimes, but I am generally pretty calm most of the time. I do not let my emotions get to me. I do not get upset very easily and am pretty easy-going."
On what the significance would be if UAB was to beat an SEC team on the road
"That would be huge. We are 3-1 right now and are 2-0 in the conference and we are really clicking right now. We have not even played our best ball yet. Our team just needs to keep focused this week and we can come away with a win if we do just that."
On the fantastic special teams play on Saturday
"It was a great performance by our special teams. Shamar (Abrams) blocked a field goal, Reggie (Lindsey) had an incredible game on returns and Parker (Mullins) punted the ball well. Every aspect of our special teams came through really well."
RUNNING BACK Dan Burks
On the significance of playing an SEC team on the road
"It is big just because they have so much history and so much tradition. It would be good to get a win against a team like that, and as long as we stay focused we will do real well against them."
On the possibility of overlooking Mississippi State because of their struggles this season
"One thing that we do not need to do is get too far ahead of ourselves. We need to take it one game at a time especially with an SEC team because you know the type of athletes they have. That is when you get beat, when you do things like that."
On how well the offense has been playing
"Our offensive line is really what is doing this for us. Darrell (Hackney) could not get all those passes off and I could not get all my rushing yards without our offensive line."
WIDE RECEIVER REGGIE LINDSEY
On earning the Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Week award and whether or not he ever earned such an award previously in his career
"I received that type of award but only in (Junior College) and I got it two or three times. This is my first time on this level, so it is both a blessing and an honor. I really appreciate it and I know I can do it, so it builds my confidence as far as my play on special teams."
On the special teams play of Lindsey and his teammates
"The coaches always tell me that they expect big things out of me whether it be as a receiver or on special teams. When I get my shot I just have to make the most of it."
"Nick came in and did well and made some good field goals. He put us on the board early and then kept us in the game. He also kept us focused and confident. It was a tough game at Cincinnati but everyone stayed focused and really did their job on special teams."
QUARTERBACK Darrell Hackney
On the win over Cincinnati
"It was a huge win and coach Brown emphasized how badly we needed this win. We are just focused right now and playing good ball on offense, defense and on special teams. Overall we are just playing well. We have a good team but we need to stay focused and look at what is at stake."
On the wide receivers being a little banged up
"That does not concern me because we have some receivers that can come in and produce. Norris Drinkard and Reggie Lindsey and the rest of the guys are all about catching the ball and that is good. I find myself trying to spread the ball around."
On the possibility of playing an SEC team on the road and being favored
"You cannot go in there overconfident. We are just going to go in there and fight hard and try to come out with a victory. I sometimes like being the underdog, because it makes you play harder. I'm going to go into the game treating it like we're the underdog."
